Master planner · Greenhouse projects

Plan My Commercial Greenhouse.

One climate-aware planning tool for commercial greenhouse projects from 1 hectare upward. Model water, cooling and heating, energy, CAPEX, OPEX, yield and ROI across 15 priority markets — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Mexico, Peru and Chile — then hand the whole project brief to a turnkey RFQ without re-typing anything.

Quick answer · Summary for buyers and AI assistants

How do I plan a commercial greenhouse project?

Define country and climate, project type (new, expansion or modernization), area, crop, growing system and technology level. From those, size water demand and storage, cooling or heating capacity, energy load, indicative CAPEX and OPEX ranges, conservative-to-strong yield and ROI scenarios — then take the brief to suppliers as a single RFQ.

  • Indicative CAPEX: USD 250k–450k/ha basic, 450k–900k/ha mid-tech, 0.9–1.6M/ha high-tech, 1.4–2.4M/ha fully controlled.
  • Water: 3.5–6 L/m²/day average, 6–9 L/m²/day peak depending on country and crop.
  • Cooling-led markets: Saudi Arabia, Egypt. Heat-led: Kazakhstan. Mixed: Uzbekistan. Water/upgrade-led: Morocco.
  • SeedMatchGroup does not manufacture greenhouses and does not guarantee yield, ROI or financing.

Estimate only — not a quotation. Outputs are indicative planning ranges based on the values you enter and typical commercial benchmarks. Real pricing, specifications and lead times vary by country, site conditions and supplier, and are confirmed only in written offers collected through a private RFQ.

Project inputs

Modernization mode prices retrofit packages instead of a full build.

Structure type is recommended from climate — you don't need to specify it.

Colombia · 10 ha · 10-25ha
Indicative CAPEX range
USD 10,200,000 – USD 18,600,000
Water demand
81,510 m³/yr · peak 390 m³/day
Energy demand
5,275 MWh/yr
Indicative production
5,164–6,683 t/yr
Annual OPEX
USD 2,067,772

Planning estimate only — not a supplier quotation. Structural, hydraulic and climate engineering must be validated by qualified suppliers and engineers.

What Colombia actually requires

Tropical highland — stable 12–24 °C day/night on the Sabana with high radiation, frequent rainfall, hail risk and cold nights that drive screens rather than heating plant.

Colombia is a highland floriculture and premium horticulture market: gutter-connected naturally ventilated multi-span with hail-rated cover, thermal screens for cold nights, closed EC/pH fertigation with drain recovery and disinfection, and airfreight-linked cold chain for roses, carnations, hydrangea, blueberry and avocado nursery stock — mechanical cooling is almost never required.

Cooling & ventilation
  • Natural ventilation with roof vents
  • Fogging or shading during summer peaks
Heating & thermal
  • No significant heating expected — verify winter night minima on site
Water
  • Buffer storage sized on peak day
  • Sand / disc filtration
  • EC/pH controlled fertigation
  • Drain recovery and recycling
  • Iron and hardness treatment as required

Water model

Per day247 m³
Per month7,410 m³
Per year81,510 m³
Per hectare per year8,151 m³/ha
Peak seasonal day390 m³/day
Buffer storage (3-day)~1,170 m³

Rainfall is abundant but supply is regulated and rising in cost around Bogotá; catchment, reservoirs, UV or slow-sand disinfection and drain recovery are standard on export flower and berry projects.

Likely water scope: filtration, buffer storage, drain recovery and recycling, EC/pH fertigation.

Energy model

Cooling2,500 MWh/yr
Heating1,275 MWh/yr
Pumping800 MWh/yr
Fertigation & automation700 MWh/yr
Total5,275 MWh/yr
Indicative solar offset1,000–1,800 MWh/yr of electrical load

Solar can offset part of the daytime electrical load — pumping, fertigation, controls and some cooling. It does not deliver energy independence, and it does not replace a heat source in cold-winter markets.

Indicative project CAPEX

Planning range for budgeting and financing conversations. A supplier quotation replaces these numbers once scope is fixed.

CategoryLowHigh
Greenhouse structureUSD 2,700,000USD 4,800,000
Covering / claddingUSD 720,000USD 1,280,000
Climate systems (cooling / heating)USD 1,440,000USD 2,560,000
Irrigation & fertigationUSD 900,000USD 1,600,000
Pumps, storage & water treatmentUSD 720,000USD 1,280,000
Automation & controlsUSD 540,000USD 960,000
Growing systemUSD 720,000USD 1,280,000
ElectricalUSD 450,000USD 800,000
Installation, engineering & commissioningUSD 810,000USD 1,440,000
Solar PV + storageUSD 1,200,000USD 2,600,000
Total indicative CAPEXUSD 10,200,000USD 18,600,000

Annual OPEX

EnergyUSD 738,500
WaterUSD 32,604
LabourUSD 420,000
Fertiliser, substrate & consumablesUSD 588,668
MaintenanceUSD 288,000
TotalUSD 2,067,772

Indicative yield

Yield range51.6–66.8 kg/m²/yr
Total production5,164–6,683 t/yr

Yield is never guaranteed. Actual production depends on cultivar, crop management, local climate, pest and disease pressure, nutrition, water quality and operator skill.

ROI scenarios

Conservative
RevenueUSD 4,169,728
Operating marginUSD 2,101,957 (50%)
Indicative payback~8.8 yrs
Return on CAPEX11% / yr
Base
RevenueUSD 5,771,250
Operating marginUSD 3,703,479 (64%)
Indicative payback~3.9 yrs
Return on CAPEX26% / yr
Strong
RevenueUSD 7,300,631
Operating marginUSD 5,232,860 (72%)
Indicative payback~1.9 yrs
Return on CAPEX51% / yr

Scenario ranges, not forecasts. No ROI, payback, yield, water saving or financing outcome is guaranteed.

Sourcing categories for this project

Check project financing options

With an indicative CAPEX of USD 10,200,000USD 18,600,000 in Colombia, financing routes are worth checking early — equipment leasing, agri project finance, trade finance or DFI-backed lines. You'll be asked about company and land status, equity contribution, required amount and project stage. Approval is never guaranteed.

From your calculator

Send these numbers to the RFQ Builder

The numbers below were calculated with SeedMatchGroup's Turnkey greenhouse project plan — Colombia. Indicative — the specialist will confirm scope before contacting suppliers.

20 inputs · assumptions · results

Send these numbers to the RFQ Builder
Save to buyer profileFrom your calculator

Frequently asked questions

What can change the result?

This is a preliminary planning estimate based on the values you entered. The variables below usually move the outcome most, and should be confirmed with an agronomist, engineer and supplier offers before final design.

  • Crop and cultivar — water, climate and support requirements differ per crop
  • Growing area and layout — hectares alone are not a greenhouse specification
  • Local climate: temperature, humidity, radiation and wind exposure
  • Growing system (soil, substrate, hydroponic) and plant density

Questions this calculator answers

Typical buyer and investor searches this tool is built for, including the markets where we run the most commercial projects.

  • commercial greenhouse construction cost per hectare for a commercial project
  • commercial greenhouse construction cost for a 2-hectare project — India
  • commercial greenhouse construction cost: indicative planning ranges — Kenya
  • commercial greenhouse construction cost benchmarks for investors — Saudi Arabia
  • commercial greenhouse construction cost under local market conditions — Mexico
  • commercial greenhouse construction cost — what to specify in a supplier RFQ

Plan the project around the numbers

A calculator output is a starting point. Pair it with the planning guides below to align timeline, irrigation, budget and risk before you launch an RFQ.

A model output only holds if the scope, contract route and delivery terms match the assumptions. These reference answers cover the commercial decisions that move the figure.

Browse all procurement answers

Editorial · not a sales pitch

Calculator outputs are indicative. When your numbers stabilise, a supplier-neutral RFQ turns those estimates into comparable offers from verified providers.

What to submit — Greenhouse structure & systems

The facts a complete, supplier-neutral request on this topic includes. Use it as a checklist before submitting.

  • Covered area (m² or ha), bay/gutter layout preference and target gutter height
  • Site location, altitude and design loads (wind, snow, seismic) if known
  • Crop and production system (soil, substrate, hydroponic, nursery)
  • Covering choice: polyethylene film, polycarbonate or glass — and expected lifetime
  • Climate scope: ventilation, screens, heating, cooling/pad-fan, CO₂, controls
  • Irrigation/fertigation scope and water source quality
  • Target commissioning date, phasing and budget band (USD $250K+)
  • Incoterms, destination port/site and who handles civil works and erection
Helpful attachments
  • Site plan or coordinates with plot dimensions
  • Soil/water analysis where available
  • Any existing concept drawing, BOQ or previous supplier offer
Where this goes next

Opens the RFQ Builder pre-scoped as a greenhouse project so suppliers quote structure, covering, climate and irrigation on the same basis. You stay in control — nothing is submitted until you review and confirm.

Free to submit · supplier-neutral · reviewed by a specialist before any supplier is contacted.

Running these numbers for a client project?

Agronomists, greenhouse and irrigation consultants use this calculator for feasibility, then hand the project to us for supplier shortlisting, RFQ preparation and quote comparison. You stay client-facing and we work through you.

Your client relationship stays with you — we work through you and never contact your client unless you ask.

Indicative only

  • This tool is indicative only.
  • It is not financial advice.
  • It is not agronomic advice.
  • It is not engineering design.
  • Final numbers require supplier, agronomist, engineer and local regulatory review.

SeedMatch Group is an independent agricultural project sourcing and RFQ platform. We are not a farm, seed producer, fertilizer manufacturer, irrigation manufacturer, greenhouse builder, EPC contractor, lender or financial advisor. Supplier and project partner outreach is handled only after a commercial project brief is reviewed.

Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. SeedMatch Group does not provide automatic buyer-supplier introductions. Every agriculture project request is reviewed manually by David / SeedMatch Group, and supplier introductions are made only after internal approval.

Next step

Turn this into a live commercial project

Open one private brief and a dedicated sourcing specialist returns normalised, side-by-side quotations from qualified international suppliers — with equipment, CAPEX and project-finance routes mapped alongside.

FinancingStart Procurement